Oh the Turbidity!

Okay, maybe I’m not cut out for this blog thing. It’s been quite a while since my last (ie. first) post but really it’s been a terrible couple of weeks here in Vancouver! The weather in winter here is generally pretty awful with the rain and cold. But, because of terrible storms and the resulting 'turbidity' in the reservoirs, we’re under a city ordained advisory to boil all water we intend to ingest. This includes water we brush our teeth with and wash our dishes with. Anyway, the result is that I am not really interested in going out to restaurants, because it’s too dark and wet, and I’m not inclined to cook much because it involves procuring fresh water from somewhere. Unlike the masses, I did not line up at Costco for my water rations so let’s just say I’m eating simply and making like a camel.

Anyway, I bought a new type of gluten free pasta from Choices the other day and thought perhaps a little pasta post was in order. Choices, which is BC owned, is my favourite market for gluten free products. They offer many varieties of GF pasta: four of which are in my cupboard. I think I’ve honed in on my favourites but I really should give soybean noodles another chance. The dark green strands are just plain scary.




My old stand by is Tinkyada brown rice pasta. It’s available in spaghetti, penne, rotini, lasagne, big shells, macaroni plus more, I’m sure. They offer organic and regular options and it seems to be the brand most stocked by grocers in town. It takes a little longer to cook than regular wheat pasta and there is a small window to capture the correct doneness. If over done even slightly the noodles are pretty mushy. When ready I drain the noodles and toss in cold water under the tap. Then I reheat the noodles with a little of the sauce. This allows the flavour of the sauce to permeate the noodles without them being over done. The taste is great and my wheat-eating friends cook with it regularly when they are having me over for lasagne or spaghetti. They often comment that they don’t feel uncomfortably stuffed like they would after a meal of regular pasta.
Rizopia is another rice pasta that I first purchased at Shoppers Drug Mart of all places. At around $2.50 for a package it’s quite a deal. It’s very similar to Tinkyada, actually. The wild rice penne has a really nice flavour that collaborates well with a substantial sauce.



Now, I know it’s only noodles, but life just got a little better when I discovered La Veneziane corn pasta. I’ve found this brand at Italian Markets on the east side like Cioffi’s Market on Hastings in Burnaby and Adelina’s Grocery on Renfrew at First. Donald’s Market (another great market) now also stocks it. It’s delicate, slightly sweet, has a great texture and really takes to a light cream sauce wonderfully…say with some salmon with peas. It’s so good! I always have some in the house.

San Zenone is a new Italian corn pasta that I’ve only seen so far at Choices. I tried it for the first time last night as penne with pesto. Verdict? Pretty good. It was a little chewier than La Veneziane but I’ll definitely give San Zenone another shot.

Hi there!

Being a Celiac in Vancouver is really not that bad. Vancouver’s probably one of the best places to be in terms of cities that take food seriously. Here, there is a lot of ethnic variety with a strong emphasis on the diverse cuisines of Asia. I basically eat some form of Asian food everyday. Eating gluten free all the time can sometimes find you in a rice-based rut, but honestly there is so much more. Dosas and idlis, anyone?

I’ve always been into food and cooking. Both of my parents are great cooks and taught me my way around the kitchen from a very young age. I was re-diagnosed (I’ll explain later) with Celiac disease at age 27. While it wasn’t the most thrilling news in the world, I put a positive spin on the whole thing by viewing it as a culinary challenge. Several hockey puck-like loaves of bread later, I still haven’t mastered the perfect baguette. But I am close to a good pastry, and muffins and pancakes are a breeze (thank you, Bette Hagman).

Unlike a lot of Celiacs, I imagine, I still go out for dinner a lot. Meeting friends for a meal is one of my favourite things to do. As I was discussing with my good pal Veronica at Habit on Main on Friday night, it must be where all of our money goes. There is always somewhere new to try and so many great old standbys that will never grow tired.

Anyway, I have been meaning to start this blog as a gluten-free guide to Vancouver for ages now. I just couldn’t come up with a name. Pathetic, I realize, and really, Hold the Bun, Please was my first idea. I just couldn’t accept that this was the best I was going to come up with. It is far superior to my boyfriend’s suggestion of Wheatless Freaks, however. This is me, getting on with it. I’m not sure how it’ll go but I hope to update fairly frequently with restaurant and product updates along with various anecdotes and the ridiculous musings of a Celiac in Vancouver.

Later,
Lucy